A fuel dispensing unit used for filling the fuel tank of a motor vehicle with fuel is a complex device containing a vast number of components connected to each other. The reliability of different components transporting the fuel between an underground reservoir and a fuel tank of the motor vehicle being filled, and the assembly of the same, are of great importance since a leakage in or between any one of these components could be catastrophical.
The hose connection connecting the pipe transporting the fuel from the underground tank with the hose transporting the fuel to the fuel tank of a motor vehicle is such a component.
When filling the fuel tank of a motor vehicle, it is further a common measure to recover the vapour escaping the tank when filling it with liquid fuel. This measure is taken for both safety and environmental reasons. The vapour recovery is achieved, for instance, by arranging a vapour suction nozzle next to the fuel dispensing nozzle of a pistol grip for filling the tank with fuel. Vapour is then removed from the tank during filling, at a certain rate, which is often controlled by the standard rate of at which fuel is dispensed to the tank. Accordingly, since both fuel and potentially fuel vapour travels though the hose connection, the assembly of the components together forming the hose connection is critical.
EP-2,196,717 discloses a hose connection for a fuel dispensing unit. The hose connection comprises a pipe for transporting fuel from a fuel reservoir, a hose for transporting fuel to a motor vehicle, an intermediate member arranged to connect said hose with said pipe, and a locking device fixed to said fuel dispensing unit arranged to interlock said pipe and said intermediate member.
A problem with the above mentioned fuel dispensing unit and other prior art is that the hose connections generally comprise many different components which make the assembly of each hose connection stressing and time consuming for the mechanic performing the operation. The amount of components is increased even further with fuel dispensing units having a plurality of fuel hoses, since a hose connection is needed for each transition between a fuel pipe and a fuel hose in the fuel dispensing unit, respectively.
Further, when several fuel hoses and accordingly several hose connections are provided within the same fuel dispensing unit it is a problem that the assembly of the vapour recovery piping becomes even more complicated and time consuming. In this case, the vapour recovery pipes from all hose connections of each side of the fuel dispensing unit are connected together using several T-joints. This is done, since the common solution is to only use only one vacuum source for all the vapour recovery pipes of each side of the fuel dispensing unit.
Another difficulty with the hose connections available on the market today is that no blending of fuels with varying octane ratings within the hose connection is possible.